Document pmoNjk7j94JE1g5ogVxJ9r6rD

FILE NAME: Reichhold (REI) DATE: 1980 June DOC#: REI022 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Article from Trade Journal-Process Engineering News t; * - -, t s . . Vl s Asbestos is wearing its Last Days in PhenoHcs P L A IN T IF F 'S fl&EyX&HaIBITn i M f fr f W A ll w^or suppliers of phenolic' molding Stlffer Federal regulations may boon the way Before examin ague that it's the end ofihe line for use of asbestos in their ing in detail how the remaining material suppliers are coping products. Actually, Asbestos has been on its way out of the with asbestos replacement, here's a look at what is said to be * lolic scene for most of a dteoado, in ifesponK to strict the primary reason for their decision to discontinue using the material--namely, the prospect of stricter governmental and on its use iricfflRfimw producMSee/y, Attg. .1 regulations that purportedly could all but eliminate its use.' SI.) Over the past 8-10 years, three nutfor suppliers of* As we have reported nil the past (see T, Dec. *70, p. 78, phenolic molding compounds phased out of asbestos; G ej-J Jett.'80, p. 109andAfar. `8,p. 129), many Federal ecQ te c tric Co /s Plastics Div.. Durez Div. of HoSKSfl `Cory agencies. Including the Environmental Protection Chemical & flastfcs Coir., and fibentTCorp.--Purea hav Agency (BPA), the Occupational Safety and Health*Admitt- ing completed the teunsidon oriyTast year. Now, with even istration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational more stringent nongovernmental standards looming oruhe Safety and Health (NXO$K), and the Consumer Product horizon, the remalninglMWRjailM-suppUers 0 fdtiSwfng SafetyCommission (CPSQ, have proposed new standards to suitT'AIthoogh they haveJieretofore balked at totally limit exposure to, and use of, asbestos. eliminating the materia! from their products. Kogem u n p M In resent developments, an OSHA-NIOSH work group Beichhold Chemicals and Plastics Engineering Co. (Pionco) reportedly has recommended eliminating all new nonessen- have informed FTthat as they develop suitable substitutes they intend to discontinue using asbestos, and hope to do so by the end of this year. An for the smatter suppliers of phenoltc molding com Propened newFederal regulations may lim it pounds, Vaiite Div. ofValentm&Sugam, Inc., reports that it exposure to asbestos to has adopted apolicy similar to Rogers. PJenco and Relch- ftrid. However, spokesmen for Restnaid Engineering CorpM say that they have no piaos at the moment to discontinue supplying asbestos-filled products; although die company does supply * few asbestos-fice grades, it is reportedly tint uses ofAsbestos from(he workplace. Also, the group hus recommended that OSHA set a new exposure limit of adopting a " writ and see" attitude regarding the proposed 100,000 fiber/ cubic meter of air (0.1 fibers/cc) measured new regulations- over an 8hr period, instead of the ^mllton-fiber <2.0fibers/ It's been difficult to find suitable reinforcing fillers to cc) standard currently in effect. Although the phenolic com rapines asbestos, say aD of thesiippDersj'glassflbW and pound suppliers say that with sophisticated filtration and various minerals, suchas clay, trie, and wolfestomte, as welt piping systems they ate able to meet the current standard, as Processed hflrwrat Fiber (PMFU a proprietory product of Jim Writer Resources Inc., have been ana continue to be the they feel that meeting the proposed new limit Is impossible. The 100,000-fiber standard was suggested because it re prime candidates* However, all the suppliers say that they* portedly is the lowest level hut can be detected by optical have been able to match (ha cost/parformance of asbestos- microscopy, which is-said to be the most reliable and econo filled products with iheir asbestos-free substitutes, grade- mic method ofmonitoringairborne asbestos. There has been for-grade. In fact, say the suppliers, the electrical properties . no definite time frame established for implementation of and appearance of parts molded from the asbestoa-fiee com pounds are superior to the products they were designed to replace. As is discussed below, the major problem in for the work group's recommendations, but OSHA spokesmen say they will move " with rii deliberate speed" to see that tfioir proposals oro passed* mulating the asbestos-free products appears in the area of Of equal importance to material suppliers and processors their protcssibilUy; finding alternative materials that offer comparable ene of molding hns been, in the wonts of one supplier, "not the easiest thing in the world to <lo." Spokesmen for Rogers. Rcicfi^old and I t o o are quick to point out that their corapameSmc not involved in what might be construed as n "jjwddush'' to phase out nil ute ofasbes tos; they say they havtsuSm pursuing iggrcsivc campaigns to find adequate replacement materials forseveral years. But these three suppliers also say that they are committed to complying with existing Federal regulations and wilt con tinue to honor their customers' requests For osbcstos-filled products only until they are unable to meet the stiuidi alike are the generai orde currently being drawn up by CPSC that will requite manufacturers ofcertain categories of consumer products to submit information on the use of as bestos in specific products that the CPSC believes merit attention. Information required by these ardors may include* specific product identification; the function performed by the product; a description of the asbestos used; the location of the asbestos in the product; available test data concerning asbestos-fiber emission from the product; Information on the promotion, marketing and use patterns of the product; and Information on possible substitutes for the asbestos in the ' by law. Continued on pace 3 regain- itlNC IBM SW000443 , * *i m V>. is Continued (torn page29 rating at 0.040 In. In standard UL flammability tests: whereas, at the snnie thickness, an nsbesios-frce product would receive a UL 94V-1 rating, To obtain tt V-0 rating*the specimen reportedly would have to be 0.060 in. thick. In_pther peifomiancejtaperties. however, all suppliers After the approval of the Commission and the Govern ment's Genera! Accounting Office, the genera! order repmedly \vH ha sent out directly to manufacturers, possibly by as soon astafe Julyor early August oftbis year. Atthat time, manufacturers reportedly wilt have 90 days to reply* After assessing the response to the orders, mandatory CPSCregu lations may include a blanket banning ofasbestos from cer tain products. say 'tBirrhay have Beenable to irmtch completely those provided by asbestos, Properties such as dimgasyhiutS-etabll*it^ frooact strength, and thermal amqg (to name Just three) are equaTto aSlSStos-farea materials; and, as previously noted, electrical properties and end-product molded i anee are improved In the asbestos-free products, It is in the area of crncngabiltty,that problems In finding suitable replacement materials crop up. Suppliers and proc essors have known for years that, owing to the fine-filament I structure of asbestos, it acts as a good flow promoter by ' Asbestos-filled vs. asbestos-free: Is there a difference? Asbes maintaining uniform viscosity and mol3"flowTIfToport- tos has been used in phendios for two major masons; 1) the edly acts like a blotter for the resin and. therefore. Is an high degree ofheat resistance It Imparts, and 2}ft nets as an excellent vfecoslty*control agent. excellent proawslngi ak.'AfrpttRfoionftl benefit provided by The suppliers agree that there has heed no problem in the tuatmal Isthat acts as an impact modjfiatbecause it is a finding material formulations to replace short asbestos fiber tough resilient fiber, And the ES&swtffofthe material (about products. Improvements over the years in machinery de f5{MM?lb) has been a contributing factor In making It a signs and material formulations reportedly yield less difficult material to replace. machine wear, even in products where glass fiber is used. In All of the suppliers agree that they are able to match feet, spokesmen for G.E.. Dura* and Relchhold say that almost perfectly the heat resistance imparted by asbestos cycle times have improved with the asbestos-free materials. wxlh thhir asbestos-free products; quantitatively, they say The asbestos-free materials reportedly provide lower viscos that th&'perfbnnance of their asbestos-free products in this ity than those containing asbestos, which means that mol- j . areals 95-98%as good as that of asbestos-filled compounds. demean operate their machines at tower pressure--25-50% *However, one supplier notes that thereIs a slfgfaUrade.pffn less than with asbestos-filled materials--and still obtain the I using asbestos-free materials in terms of flammability. An same fast cycle times provided by the stffTe^fiowinfi, fast- asbestojf-filled product reportedly can receive a UJL 94V-0 CotiHnued on page 33 , t* r * HESS Continued from p a ss 31 * curing asbestos-filled materials, depending on the applica tion. Usinglowerpressures reportedly provides not only less machine wear, but reduced energy consumption ns well. Suppliers have found it more difficult to compound around long asbestos fiber products: long-fiber asbestos has been used in applications requiring high impact strength. Longer giass fibers reportedly canprovide the same degree ofimpact strength, but there fs a cost pennlty. It is estimated that glass fibers can cost up to about 40% more than long asbestos fibers. According to spokesmen for Fiberite. ftcompany that never was big in asbestos, and only used long asbestos rovings at that they found little or no problems in the pic- cesslblllty oflongglass rovingswhen theymnde thetransition away from asbestos over 10 years ugo. All in all. the suppliers agree that they can offer asbestos- fine products at the same cost us asbestos-filled products in practically all series, with only minimal trade-offs in physi cal properties. * Suppliers1 strategies for ushc$tos*rephicnent *'We did not find any universal substitute." says a Durcz spokesman. (Darez began eliminating usbestoxin 1977and completed the phnse-outIn Fcbrmiry 1979.) "It was product-by-product change, using a variety of materials to develop the sums process?bility and end-product properties as those provided by asbestos. The transition was difficult. At one time 90% of * our phenolic compounds contained some asbestos--today we haven't got a pound on the premises. '* Spokesmen for both Dure* and G.?. (which discontinued usingthe material in October of 1972) say that their difficulty - * in making the transition was compounded by reasons other than processlbility and property problems. Many of their customers were unfamiliar with handling and molding the asbestos-free products; and. because Federal regulations . were not ns strict then as they soon may be. customers were unwilling to take the risk. Also, asbestos-filled products were generally more available and economical. What's . more, their competitors continued to supply asbestos-filled products and imwnlalned somewhat of a marketing edge. Now. in lighrof the proposed new tnndands. the scenario has changed. Customers reportedly are rushing to use asbestos-free materials. G.B. spokesmen say that the firm's early action has paid off; processors thut once balked at using asbestos replacements reportedly are turning to G.E.because of its years of experience in developing asbestos-free products. Here's how the remaining phenolic suppliers are coping with the transition; Spokesmen for Rogers Ooip.. suppliers of specialty high- * performance grades, say thut for the last two years the glass companies have been mamiflnturing new glass-fiber prod ucts designed* to give physical properties closer to those imparted by asbestos; by using the variety of types and sizes t of the new glass fibers, researchers wt Rogers are confident ft Continued ** ***"* ** SW000444 i r Continued front page 33 thflt th ey eon achieve the desired properties. Since glass is abrasive, they reportedly have found it neces sary to incorporate proprietary fillers to reduce machine wear. The coni' pany's new 800 series of phenolic compounds are glass reinforced and designed to replace asbestos-filled products nt the same costs (see PT, April 'SO, p.H )` Tlenco Is also using ftlss&fiber as well as various mineralsasfeplaoe&ients for asbestos in its "AF* (asbestos-free) fine of phenolic products. Even though company source? feel that the asbestos-free products ere completely different materials than asbestos-filled / ones (one spokesman said, "to a <fe- . gree, it*like apples and oranges''), the firm has, to date,matched its asbestosfilled products gmde-for-grade with asbestos-free products, at the same price, Reichhold spoilsmen say that they plan to develop henceforth no new erodes o f asboiios-flllcd phenofles. The company reportedly has been waiving - thelg/Ib jremfum that it has charged for ftsSswJfosiiUed products to cus tomers willing to subscribe to an exploratory program In which they would agree to investigate Reichhold's asbestos-free products. This program,* which has feaengoing on for two years, willbe discontinuedJuly 1st; Reichhold customers will pay the foil premium for asbestos-filled products after July 1st Whether they are in the evaluation pro gram of not. Federal'regulations prompt improved productivity Spokesman for Rogers Cotp. say that since the firm made a significant Investment in equipment to comply with existing Federal regula tions,. productivity has actually Im proved fn Its phenolic compound man ufacturing. The company has Installed a large number sophisticated air filters to keep undesirable materialsout of the p)m air and the outside environment,4 the filters reclaim theairbornematerials for reprocessing) thus contributing sub stantially toward recouping the cost of this extra equipment Inmaterial savings alone. And, since the plant is said to be h cleaner working environment, work ers In the pliint are said to be more quality conscious and their productivity has gone up. Continued on page 37 JUKE \ m Continued from pane 35 The other suppliers also have experi enced increases In productivity, but they tend to attribute them more to Im provements In the material formula tions nnd'machinery used to compound the asbestos-free products that have evolved over the years. CD * --Carl KtMmd New Fiberglass Chopper Continued from page 20 flush, external-mix urcibaneioam spray an Internal-mix, solvent-purge gun for foam spraying and manufactures for OEM usee mechanical-purgegunthat's limited to pouring uses. Company sources soy the rising cost of solvents and the restrictive handling require ments associated with them make a non-flush system more attractive. The new gun, which will be suitable for both pour and spray, reportedly will have an advantage over existing mech- anlcnl-purae foam guns in that It will offer starufanl paint-spmy typenoades, thus providing greater versatility for spraying either foBm or plural-compo nent paints.' DO Ciicu t-B Bud*' ScMscCart Vertual/Korlxontnl Extruders Continued from peg 25 ^ the horizontal unit (Specs were n o t' available) The screw, bottom drive, extends Into the feed hopper, which Is a prolongation ofthe vertical cylinder. The screw section In the feed hopper is easilyinterchangeable. Inordertoadapt the screw compression rntio to different bulk densities of the feed material. The resin to be fed is folly exposed to (he 360* surface of the rerew Bights in foe hopper, for positive nnd regular con* wyRweofevenhar&itrfeed materials, the companysays. The uqiis have been designed fora lowoverall hefjiht, fitcili-. taring screw removal. This lower over all height hus also eliminated the main objection gainst vertical extruders of output capacity over 5110 Ib/hr. Appli cations for the vortical units Include coextraslon, crusshead extrusion, pro* fileextrusion and reclnlmfngtifdilficiift- m tSBD More nows on peg 39 Since poiystyre plastic Cosdenr . on making pro ; . spet ; Cosden is self-s That assures > ; supply of quality j Cosden has } combined cap : pounds per) quantities you net tion, there are nir houses strategic coast. And compi ing speeds y : You get just the gi j you need them, ft specializes - W e V e com m ittee 1 polystyrene for tot it's what . The Polys' Cosden O U Cb Central Expressway. Dal PMOWowaJfcUmCsrnfivta^fvftjei,MBfnwwP SW00445 ____ fO WOMrnfOSMWlQUC